The Best/Worst Moments of last night's show

[Steeley Chris]

"Sparse... like a Delta 5 song." (Re: "Sweet Caroline")
Tom's "Lay Lady Lay" always cracks my wife up, because she hates that song so much. She doesn't like it when Dylan tries to sing.

[B_Buster]

I always look forward to the podcast, but I must admit I'm looking forward to this one a little more than usual.  Gary the Squirrel is a breakout character.

A reals shout out for Mike & Therese, too - I enjoy the occasional change of pace of Depravity's Rainbow.  Now if only I could get that demo version of "Us and Them" out of my head.

Thanks for the support, bc. I beseech everyone to call the next time we do a fill-in. I almost died on the air for lack of calls during that show.

[bigoteetoe]

pretty sure cotton candy is gluten free. isn't it just sugar, plus a little carny blood for coloring?

[Kormod]

http://www.avclub.com/articles/week-of-jan-26feb-1,68765/

Is it fair to say that it’s a little hypocritical that Tom Scharpling will let Kurt Vile call up the show and ramble on about whatever he wants, but will then turn around and make fun of Mit Hamine whenever they call? Is it some weird form of guerilla marketing where you call up Scharpling, let him make fun of you, and then in a year you’ll be popular? It doesn’t make sense, the whole “Scharpling vs. a band that has fewer than 150 fans on Facebook” thing, but that’s really the only complaint this week. With the caller who pleads with Scharpling to hang up on him, the father-to-be asking for name advice, and some choice hang-ups, nearly everything about this show is good. Also, what’s with people calling up The Best Show to talk football? When did this become a thing? [JD]

Seriously, what is this review?

[RemyLBO]

Yeah, that review is odd.  Does the reviewer think Tom should be nicer to Mit Hamine?  If so, he clearly hasn't been listening to that guy call every week and relentlessly plug his crappy projects. 

Best moments:
Gary the squirrel
That joke about Boston giving New York covert racism
The impressions
A George Noory sitcom

Worst moments:
Every other caller being drunk/high out of their minds.  Is this what us Americans sound like on a Tuesday night?

[Flood]

Zach's been calling for almost two years now, I think. How long did Spike call and just make crank calls until him and Tom started talking (seriously, when exactly did they start talking?)? I don't think the reviewer has quite a feel for the Best Show culture, yet.

[placeholder]

"Who is that?  Is that John Lurie?"

[Drew D]

What an amazing show.  Huge shout out to Jason for his segment, sounded great!!   I just love Gary and Mike's interaction, my favorite new thing on the Best Show...the back and forth about Woody Allen was killing me. 

-That "review" (if you can call it that)  is completely tone deaf to the spirit of the best show.  And is he really trying to compare Kurt Vile and Mit Hamine? They aren't even in the same universe!  And Tom hung up on Kurt!! He didn't let him "ramble on"...sheesh.

[mike a]

"Sparse... like a Delta 5 song." (Re: "Sweet Caroline")

Genius.  Funny thing is, Delta 5 could credibly cover "Sweet Caroline," but Neil Diamond wouldn't have a clue what to do with "Anticipation."

[mike a]

"Calvin Johnson, the housepainter" = sly K Records reference within the homespun Lake Yallbegone?

[Mark in Helsinki]

Thanks for the support, bc. I beseech everyone to call the next time we do a fill-in. I almost died on the air for lack of calls during that show.

It doesn't show. You guys are great.

But I'd have to agree: the Us and Them demo is nice up to the first hour. 

[RVARichmond]

Not finished with the podcast yet, but so far the worst has to be Reagan. Why IS she so malleable? The first time she called I thought she was just making some misguided ironic joke, but I don't think that's the case. It boggles the mind that someone in college is trying so hard to become a stereotype rather than just being who you are. Kind of sad, really. Now I feel bad, I take it back, best caller.

[NJL]

"He was a really good actor."

"No he wasn't."

"I know."

[AllSussedOut]

Gary wins a wonderfully Southern-themed night, with Huntsville (collectively) nipping at his heels.  Which begs the question, incidentally... do squirrels have heels?

An honorable mention, though, goes to James Joyce.  I fully expect that "Ulysses" will benefit from the vaunted "'Best Show' bump" between this week's show and next, and that sales will at least double in the coming days. 

A related question: is THAT what Tom was doing in Weirdowood?  Selling the suits on a variety show based on "Dubliners"?  There's no other possibility, right?

[Austin From Chicago]

Every episode of TBSOWFMU is great, but I personally LOVE (and always re-listen to) shows where Tom sounds like he's in a good mood. If he's making himself chuckle within the first 10 minutes, it usually means the listeners have struck oil. This week's show was like that. I was giddy from listening to all the Southern callers at the top of the show, especially the Laurie Anderson fan ("Did you lose a bet?")

Also, "Down here, 'Ulysses' means 'fatso."' That was awesome.